vent (one's) spleen

vent one's spleen

Fig. to get rid of one's feelings of anger caused by someone or something by attacking someone or something else. Jack vented his spleen at his wife whenever things went badly at work.Peter vented his spleen on his car by kicking it when it broke down.

vent one's spleen

Express one's anger, as in Some people see town council meetings as a place where they can vent their spleen. This expression uses vent in the sense of "air," and spleen in the sense of "anger," alluding to the fact that this organ was once thought to be the seat of ill humor and melancholy. [First half of 1600s]

vent your spleen

vent your spleen

give free expression to your anger or displeasure.

2003GuardianWoodgate 's clumsy challenge on the striker was not contested, though the visitors wasted little time in venting spleen at both the culpable Danish midfielder and, erroneously, the young pretender.

vent your ˈspleen

(literary) express your anger in speech or writing: He vented his spleen on the assembled crowd.In the past, people believed that the spleen (= a small organ near the stomach that controls the quality of the blood cells) was responsible for making someone feel sad or bad-tempered. From this, it came to mean a person’s anger.

I was really annoyed but she wouldn't listen so I just let her have her say and I got the feeling she was venting her spleen as she was in a low-paid job and couldn't be bothered to put up with irate customers.

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